Friendly Local Game Store

“Vivid and honest, Gary’s writing puts his readers in the moment and opens their eyes to the competing business pressures he faced every day, from financial to psychological. Absolutely mandatory reading for anyone remotely considering investing in the hobby game industry.”

—Michael Bahr, Desert Sky Games (Chandler, AZ)

Friendly Local Game Store

Build the Store Your Community Deserves

Tabletop gaming is on the rise. If you love games like Catan, Magic: The Gathering, or Dungeons & Dragons; like the sound of being your own boss; and are willing to dive deep into what it takes to build a successful business, then this is a book for you.

In Friendly Local Game Store, you’ll learn what you need to know to build a store that doesn’t just sell games, but creates a community where games are beloved:

A detailed look at your store’s startup costs, and why starting off undercapitalized is worse than not starting at all.

An exploration of your store’s unique value proposition, and why Amazon will eat your lunch if you don’t have one.

A sober examination of why you should think twice about hybrid stores with cafés, coffee shops, or bars.

But most importantly, how your game store can provide you with a reliable, middle-class income.

Among this down-to-earth advice, Gary Ray shares the stories of his years running Black Diamond Games. From the moment he realized he was going to leave his IT job, to the third-year move necessary for the store to keep growing, to the time he forced his lender to renegotiate his mortgage. Even if you don’t want to open a game store, you’ll appreciate these stories about what it takes.

Do you believe in the power of the friendly local game store? This is the book for you!

All three digital editions (mobi, epub, PDF) are available at online retailers including DriveThruRPG, Warehouse 23, and others.

The Kindle edition is available online through Amazon. It’s offered as a stand-alone ebook for $9.95, and also as an add-on to a physical-edition purchase for an additional $2.99, via Amazon’s MatchBook program.